A look at the front page of The Indian Express, published on September 4, 1977.
Janata’s rolling plans
In a major departure from the past, a meeting of the Planning Commission, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Morarji Desai, decided to have rolling plans for the development of the country. Under the new concept, every year there will be an annual operational plan with a fresh five-year perspective. In other words, there will no more be a rigid five-year framework. But every year there will be a plan for the next five years.
Singing to death
Fifteen Ugandans executed for conspiring against President Idi Amin went before the firing squad chanting songs in their native language, an AP representative who witnessed the executions reported. He said 30 minutes before the executions the condemned were brought to the clock tower on Kampala’s outskirts, each dressed in a type of black and red cassock. They were led out of vehicles blindfolded. The witness, a Ugandan, gave this account: About three hours before the execution, crowds began gathering near the clock tower. Soldiers, who were to participate in the execution, raced up and down Kampala’s avenues in 10 jeeps narrowly missing pedestrians. The firing squad was heavily armed as though they were going into battle. A large crowd gathered as the hour approached. Then the convicted were brought to the clock tower. As they were led out of military vehicles they began singing: “Let us die for what we don’t know/ for what we have not done…/ Let our blood flow…/ What we have not done…/ Only god knows.”
Lucknow curfew
With further improvement in the situation created by Shia-Sunni incidents in the old Lucknow areas, curfew was relaxed. Meanwhile, the toll in stabbing and shooting incidents during the last five days on Saturday mounted to four with a death from stabbing reported from an area not covered by the curfew. An official spokesman described it as an “isolated” one.
